Oil-switch.



Il.' LVM; VALKENBURG.

'QIL swIvTcH. PLIog'TIo FILED AUG. 21, ma.

1.1273119'. Patented Feb..2,v1915.

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@15K/MQ H. L. V VALKENBURG. OL SWITCH. AFPLIO'HOI FILED AUG. 21, 1905.

, 1,127,1 1 9. Patented Feb. 2, 1915.

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di@ i ii/i4 Harney ju, VAN VALKBNBURG.

oIL SWITCH.; APPLIoATIoN FILED AUG. 21. 1s5. I l 1 Patented Feb.- 2; 1915. l a smug-SHEET '3.

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UNITED STATES P-Agnur orrrcn.

i HERMON-L. VAN V'Al'iKEEhTBIIIM,A OF NORWOOD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- DELAWARE. l

OIL-SWITCH.

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Specification of ALetters Patent.

Application led August 21, 1905. Serial No. 275,125.

"..ToiaZZ whom it may concern Y.'

VALKENBURG, eiti'zenof the United States,

residing at Norwood, in the county of Hamllton and State of Ohio, have linvented cerj tain new and useful Improvements inl Oil- Switches3'vof which the followingy is a full, clear, ,and exact specification.'

My invention relates to switches for electric circuits and particularly to high voltage oil switches and of the vertically movable kplunger type. i

One of, the objects of my invention is to provide a swi'tch lwhich is simple in construction and operation, compact and easy to assemble.'

A .further Objectis to provide a switch having a movable bridging contact formed ofcopp'er -or brass laminas which laminar allbear with equal pressure on the stationary contacts, and leave the latter at the same time when` the circuit is broken at vsaid contacts'. v

A still' further object is'to provide improved connections between the line leads or conductors andthe stationary contacts,

`which will permit said leads to be disconnected at vwill without 'the Ause of special tools.

My invention consists i'n the details of "construction more fully described in the following specification and set forth in the apypended claims.

In the accompanylng drawings which illustrate my invention, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a switch embodying my invention, a part yof a switch-board panel 'being shown in section; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same; Fig. 3 is a rear elevation, the oil tank being in section and parts being broken away for the sake of'clearness; Fig. 4 is aplan view of my preferred form lof brid 'ng contact;` Fig. 5 is a side elevation oft e same; Fig. 6 is a partial side elevation Aof a modified type of contacts, and Fig. 7 is an end view ofthe same.

. I have shown at 1, a portion of a switch- ,board panel tothe rear of which is connected, by bolts 2 the cast metal'bracket- 3 which supports the switch and switch operating mechanism. The bracket 3 -has a verc tical portion by, which it is securely-held 1. yto 'the panel and 4a rearward horizontal Aexi f tensionev Whichsnpports the oil tank 5- and Patented Feb. 2, 1915. y

the sidesof the extension of the bracket and being pivoted to the lugs 8 which are riveted to the tank. Suitable handles 9, which are provided for convenience in movingthe tank are also pivoted to the lugs 8.

The portion 4 of the bracket has at its lower side a comparatively narrow, long, integral lug 10. Securely bolted to the underside of this downwardly extending lug is the insulating supporting base 11 for the stationary contacts. This supporting base. clearly shown in Figs. l and 3 may be of any suitable. insulating material, but I prefer to employ a soapstone slab. M vmanner of supporting this insulating base is an .important feature of my invention. y I prefer. to employ for supporting the base only two bolts 12, which, as will be apparent from the drawings, are arranged exactly on the center line of the horizontal extension 4 of the bracketand in a line with the switch handle, hereinafter described.

VThe bolts 12 are not flush with the top .olf

the bracket, but pass through two holes located at the bottom of a central depression 13, shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. This arrangement and number of bolts possess the following advantages over the use of four or more. The narrow bearing surface between the base and supporting bracket permits the two members to be easily, accurately, and closely fitted: less workmanship is required to prepare the parts, since less holes need be drilled: the tension of the two bolts which are in line and in the center of the slab will lessen the danger of cracking the latter. and lastly a much narrower slab is required. and hence a moreV compact` ed for a' three-phase circuit. My invention,

is friet-limited however` to a. switch of any specific number of poles. These 'contacts 14 are secured tothe lower ends of contact'terico " 'mindl `bolts f rds laiana areipfvaeal from turning b dWel-Pns, one efzwhichisholesdrilled in the soap'stonev base and-out.

" through the .extension of the supporting bracket, I attach considerable importance to' my method of connecting these'cont'act terminals't'o the line conductors,v and of 'inl sulating the same.

sion 4 and are threaded with a. right hand standard thread. '.Connectedtol the ends of.;

i, extension of less diameter than the threaded portions A 'connecting sleeveor. collar 18 provided with a, left handl thread at one `end and .a right handthreadatthe other" con@` nects each .threaded lead termina-l with. al By simply' turning the .sleeve until. the nipple of the leadg. terminal comesy into contact.;` l with the* upwardly Vextending threaded contactt'jerrij lnal bolt, the ltwo portions will be held firmly together -an 'insulating sleeve or tube 19, preferably! contact terminal rodor holt'.

@ver ,this connection isslipped of porcelainwhich .v 'rests z on the` insulating washer 20. This sleeve rests4 loosely on thewasher and oanbe slipped upward atv will tov expose. the 'connection The advan tage -o'f this last explained construction is apparent. When it is desiredtodisconnect the .main leads, al1 that. is necessary is to* slipupward the sleeve 19and 4 turn the bon'-v necting collar 18'. Thus no special tool lis required,as is necessarywhen iiXed.por.celain tubes or bushings are employed, J

vThe movable bridgingcontacts, the pre#v ferred typeof which is'shownin Figs. 1, 3,

Three contacts are shown'in Fig. .1, one. for each vpairV of stationary fconta'cts. Each bridging contact is composed of 'a number of laminae lof good .conducting material :which are supported on the bar 22,` and are Y 'secured thereto by means of a clamping bolti 211v'which, passes vthrough,v the supporting bar' andthrough the lamin'ae midway between their ends. These laminee,"which are-- .somewhat U...or channel shaped,1nclude arms which 'extend outwardly different distances `from l the supporting/barand from the 'clamping`bolt,the lever arms of the laminae iso being successively longer', from the uppermostlamina to the lowermostlaminm'and have their ends 4 bent outwardly atright an lesto the "arms, the' extreme ends of the ouwardly bent portions forming contact v,faces whi'chare also located at different distonces from the support and VareV in a Ihori- 'zontal plane V`at' right angles tothe'Y clamp-V The Contact terminals 15 extend slightly above lthe bracket enten?v ing bolt, i i which, 'as stated betere,VA passes 'through the laminaemidway between their shown in Fig. 3 at 16. These contact ter-A minal -vbolts' extend upward throughv suitable ends. In order that all the *lamin may all leave A*the latter v simultalieo'usly when the {circuit-iis' broken, I] rovide allthe lamina; l

I `ac coinplish by --arranging Ybetween -the laniinaegf".separating`plates 2,1 bpwhich are of the vvuppermost 'plate increasing lengths frol'nto the lowermostl plate.l

.4 Auxiliarybrushesorlareing tips are shown i at -24.' The supporting-bar 22 is' connected vat the ends with vertically movable'bolts orl rods v25, which 'are guided ,in open slots 26 in end lugs12T-of the A'supporting bracket Aexten'sioinas is shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and .extend beyond the oil tank through holes .in the bracket. These rodsare 'connected i to the extremitiesof a triangular frame 28 hereinafter referredto.

laminated contacts v v described above is'- not confined to2 movable bridging contacts, but vmay'fbe' applied to 'stationary/contacts, swi-tchhaving a solid bridging contact and laminated'stationa'ry contacts constructed il; accordance with ymy invention.' The stationary. contacts 29 are co1n` osed ofglaminae having equal lever arms, yhat is', the-"distances'fro the point ofcon'tact of each lamina 30 with the movable bridging contact 31, to its'point-of support is thesame. As isjs'hown 1n Fig.7,' the bridging contact is -Vj-oi" wedgeshp'ed, andthe vfaces ofthe laminae are Vsimilarly arranged. In this type the force required to operate/f/ftfleswitch.' The operating mechanism for the switch will now'be described. f The operating hanhandle `ispivoted tothe supporting bracket at 33 and 'has connected on the rear of the board an .arm 34,' which forms lwith the handle fa bell crank lever. This arm'- 34 is pivoted to a link 35 which link and arm constitute a ltoggle 'joint for forcing the votedjto the-arm 36 at 37 which in turn is pivoted at its forward end at 38 to the stationary bracket 3, and at its 'rear end at`39 to the triangular shaped frame 2S .hereto- .Figsf and? l haveshoWna portion of a of. switch a greater pressure, can be obtained between the contact faceswith/out increasing with'e'qiial'eti'ective ree lever arms, andithisv lily'imprevements in the" construction of dle 32 .extends vthroughl the switchboard panel so' as vto bev in reach of the operator4 .standing-in front oftheswitchboard. vThiscontacts ,firmly together. The link is piv-- in opening the switch is to move the toggle arms over the center when the contacts Will.

be quickly separated by gravity.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a high-potential switch, asupporting bracket, an oil tank secured to the lower face of the bracket, a lug on the lower face ofA the central part of the bracket, a depression iii the upper face of said bracket, an insulating slab attached to the lower face of the lug, by a plurality of bolts in said depression and on a line with the center of the switch supporting bracket, and contacts on said slab.

9.. In a high-potential switch, a supporting bracket, an oil tank secured thereto, a central lug on the lower face of said bracket extending substantially the length, of the tank, an insulating slab supported on the lower face of the lugby a plurality of bolts,

stationary contacts on the lower face of the slab, connecting means forv the main line leads extending through the slab and supporting bracket, guide slots or passages at each end of-the supporting lug, a bridging contact mounted for vertical reciprocating movement, rods for supporting the bridging contact passing upward through the guide slots, and means for operating said bridging contact.

3. In a high potential switch, a. supporting bracket having a horizontal portion for supporting the oil tank and a portion fork switch-board attachment, a lug onl the lower side of said support extending centrally thereof, an insulating slab on the lower face of the lug, means for supporting said slab, said means being on a line in the center of the lug, one or more pairs of stationary contacts on the lower face of the slab, connecting means extending from each stationary contact out through the top of the oil tank, a bridging contact for each pair of stationary contacts, supporting rods forsaid bridg- `ing contacts mounted for vertical reciprocating movement in guide slotsgin each end .of the said lug, and means for operating.

said rods comprising a suitable toggle mechanism and operating switch handle. l

4. In an. oil switch, an oil tank, a, cover therefor, a stationary contact'in said tank, a contact terminal extending `upward from said contact, a line terminal orconductor connected to said contact terminal, and any insulating .sleeve loosely surrounding said connection and extending loosely through the tank cover, whereby said sleeve insulates the connection from'the cover and may be readily moved upward on the line terminal to expose the connection.

. 5. In a switch, an oil'tank. a `cover .therefor, an insulating slab secured to the lower i5 side of said cover, a Contact 'supported onv 'the lower 'Siae of ,gaia slab, cannet' terminals tion, connecting sleeves joining the threaded portions of the contact terminals and line terminals, and an insulating bushing loosely surrounding each connection and extending freely through the/tank cover, whereby said sleeves insulate `the connections from the tank cover and may be slipped upward at will to expose. the connections.

In an oil switch, an oil tank, a cover therefor. a stationary contact in said tank,

.an insulating support therefor, a connection' between said stationary contact and a line terminal, said connection extending freelv through the tank cover and an insulating sleeve loosely surrounding said connection and passing loosely through the tank cover, whereby the connection .is well insulated from the cover and said sleeve can be moved' freely upward from the tank cover along the line terminal so as to expose the connection.

' 8. In a switch, a bracket, stationary and movable contacts, contact terminals extending loosely through the bracket, line termi nals, and separable means connecting the line terminals and contact'terminals, 4insulating bushings loosely surrounding the connections and extending loosely through the bracket, whereby the connections are insucan be moved upward from thelatter along the line terminals nections.

9. In a switch,..a bracket, an insulating thereof, stationary contact members carried by said insulating supportingr member, contact terminals extending-upward freely through the bracket.v line terminals, means so as to expose the-con- V lated from the bracket and said bushings c 115. supporting member secured to the lower side separably connectin!` the line terminals and contact terminals, and insulating sleeves loosely surrounding the connections andl passing looselv through the bracket` and be^ ing supported at their lower ends below the same. whereby said sleeves insulatethe connections from the bracket, and can be moved upward along the line terminals at will' so y*as te expose the connections.

l0. In -an oil switch, a contact, an inclesure for said Contact adapted to contain oil,

line terminal having a separable `connecl*tion with the contact, an insulating sleeve -loosely surrounding the connection and ex- -tending loosely through one of the walls of 'the inclosure whereby'the connection'is in`v sulat'ed from 'said `wall and the sleeve may 'bezslipped along theterminal to expose the 1 i f latter;

y11.v combination in Aa switch, a receptaele, stationary and-movable ,contacts in saidv receptacle,` a Contact terminal extending loosely through a wall of said recepitacle,A a' line terminal, ,separable means conmami 1a 

